Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Criciuma Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Criciuma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $668 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $986 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,305 in Criciuma.

Living in Phuket is roughly 89% more expensive than Criciuma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$4.92 R$25.45

-4.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$21.56 R$111

110.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.30 R$27.40

59.06%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$1.22 R$6.29

140.16%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.48

$0.86 R$4.42

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.56 R$2.91

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.58 R$8.19

52.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.52 R$7.84

144.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$0.85 R$4.40

162.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.23 R$6.36

48.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$0.93 R$4.81

133.33%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$1.85 R$9.59

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$8.15 R$42.14

142.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.18 R$16.45

14.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$6.87 R$35.55

96.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.93 R$9.96

69.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$0.82 R$4.25

96.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.87 R$4.49

177.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$1.28 R$6.59

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.04 R$5.36

47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$0.97 R$5.04

52.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$0.65 R$3.37

52.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.64 R$3.29

-20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.51 R$12.96

75.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$4.75 R$24.58

308.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.07 R$5.55

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

$1.31 R$6.77

106.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$0.88 R$4.54

55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$32.04 R$166

-64.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$0.45 R$2.32

571.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$1.02 R$5.27

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$2.20 R$11.40

540.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$1.09 R$5.63

24.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$20.0K R$103.5K

40.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.7K R$133.1K

27.82%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿3,991

$59.9 R$310

103.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿445

$13.94 R$72.1

-2.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$20.82 R$108

-12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$25.30 R$131

138.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$21.66 R$112

-20.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$7.65 R$39.55

13.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$693 ฿22.7K

$125 R$647

453.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$1,542 R$7,975

917.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$24.14 R$125

146.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$30.08 R$156

15.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$67.1 R$347

70.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$32.03 R$166

160.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$222 R$1,151

175.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$198 R$1,023

120.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$303 R$1,568

590.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$245 R$1,269

514.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$1,175 R$6,077

219.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$657 R$3,399

297.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$314 R$1,626

61.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.4

-36.55%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $150 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 62% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $222 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 181% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $125 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $668 in Criciuma versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Criciuma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.